Two bike roads for all ambitions
An Almonte gem for a family day trip and a more ambitious trip on the Quebec side for a long weekend
BY CRAIG AND ALLEN MACARTNEY PHOTOS – GOBIKING.CA
Here’s a couple of cycling routes
to generate adventure this summer, one close to home and the other north of Montreal. The first is perfect for a family day trip, and the second would make an excellent long- weekend adventure.
ALMONTE LOOP
Start this 15-kilometre loop in
the picturesque town of Almonte, a 30-minute drive west of Ottawa. Get there by driving west on Highway 417, then take Highway 44/49 to the town. This loop is easy to keep track
of – it’s left turns all the way. Start cycling on Martin Street North, heading northwest. This paved road leads out of town through lovely rolling farm fields where you can watch for wild turkeys and deer. At the village of Blakeney turn left, then peddle for 3/4 of a kilometre to the bridge crossing the Mississippi River. You’ll want to stop here for a
picnic, and to explore the many trails weaving through the forested
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area that hugs the river. It’s a band several hundred metres wide, almost like a highway of river and forest running through the farmland. You turn left at Wolf Grove Road.
The entire trip involves a left- handed circuit. Then continue heading down the
road less than a kilometre until you cross County Road 29 and continue to the village of Bennies Corners. Turn left on Ramsay Concession Road 8, and in less than a kilometre you’ll reach the Mill of Kintail Conservation Area. Here, you’ll find a postcard-perfect, water- powered, restored mill surrounded by mature trees. Scenic picnic areas surround the area, as do a maze of hiking trails. There’s also an art gallery and museum. Continue your
cycling trip down Ramsay Concession Road 8 to Wolf Grove Road, your your final left turn, and loop back to Almonte.
P’TIT TRAIN DU NORD LINEAR PARK
For those looking for a more
challenging adventure, you can’t beat the P’tit Train du Nord Linear Park. This beautiful trail winds its way northwest for 200 kilometres along a former railway bed, from Saint Jérôme through the Laurentians to Mont-Laurier. The tracks have been replaced by either fine gravel (in southern portions of the trail) or pavement (in the north). It’s perfect for either hybrid and mountain bikes. The grade is mostly gentle, except in a few locations (see map) that
P’Tit Train du Nord – One the many beaches where cyclists can stop for a quick swim. This is in Nominingue. The photo was taken on a hot Saturday afternoon, so the beach was well used by the locals.
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